It was agreed, — That the first report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, which read as follows, be concurred in:

1. That the committee invite the Commissioner of Official Languages for a two-hour meeting at the earliest opportunity to instruct the committee on the pressing issues affecting the application of the Official Languages Act of Canada.

2. That the committee invite the Minister of Official Languages to discuss her mandate, her priorities and the urgent issues that relate to her portfolio, once the bill to modernize the Official Languages Act is tabled or by Monday, March 7, 2022, at the latest.

3. That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), the committee undertake a study on the measures that the Government of Canada can take to fulfill its responsibility, as set out in the Speech from the Throne, to protect and promote French not only outside Quebec but also within Quebec; that, as part of this study, the committee:
   1. provide an objective and detailed portrait of the situation of English and French in Quebec, as well as Francophone and Acadian communities, based on key linguistic indicators, such as French as the mother tongue, main language spoken at home, language shifts, main language of work, and so on;

   2. evaluate the effectiveness of the government’s language policies, as well as the current role of federal and provincial laws, with respect to the objective of protecting and promoting French as well as the impact of these policies on provincial legislative measures to protect and promote French (particularly the Charter of the French Language in Quebec); and

   3. consider possible amendments to the Official Languages Act to harmonize the government’s commitment to protect French with provincial legislation;

   That the committee allocate a maximum of four meetings to this study; that the evidence and documentation received by the committee on this study during the 2nd Session of the 43rd Parliament on the subject be taken into consideration by the committee in the current session; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

4. That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), the committee undertake a study on francophone immigration to Canada to ensure that the Government of Canada is upholding its duty to attract and facilitate Francophone immigration within and outside of Quebec; that, as part of this study, the committee:
   1. examine why the target of 4.4% of total immigration set in 2003 in the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities was not met;

   2. invite the Commissioner of Official Languages to discuss his November 2021 report;

   3. invites the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and his officials;

   4. explore how the government can work on maintaining or increasing the demographic weight of Francophone minority communities, in particular by inviting representatives from Francophone and Acadian communities to share their Francophone immigration experiences in their communities and by looking at language transfers among Francophone immigrants;

   5. review the applications from foreign Francophone students that were rejected; and

   6. make recommendations to address the shortage of French-language teachers in Canada, in particular outside of Quebec, and make recommendations on how the government can increase opportunities for newcomers to learn French, while respecting other jurisdictions and existing agreements;

   That the committee allocate at least six meetings to this study; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

5. That the subcommittee on agenda and procedure meet on Monday, March 14, 2022, to discuss further studies.

It was agreed, — That members of the committee submit their list of suggested witnesses in relation to the study of government measures to protect and promote French in Quebec and in Canada to the clerk of the committee no later than Friday, February 4, 2022, at noon (EST).

It was agreed, — That the committee invite the President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada for a two-hour meeting to answer questions from parliamentarians on the place and importance of official languages at Air Canada, and that this meeting take place on Monday, March 21, 2022.